Happy Christmas, Happy Life

Where to begin, it feel like I've lived a hundred lives in the last two days. Christmas passed in the hostel, and not without celebration. The few of us who were staying here planned an elaborate dinner extravaganza. Where we laid a festive table, and combined the holiday traditions from our respective countries.



I, of course, baked an apple pie. Given the lack of premade crusts, and lack of pie tins in general, this pie was very atypical. But I assure you, no less delicious.



The dinner was so beautiful, and it was such a gift to be able to celebrate christmas with a crew of people who were also feeling the sting of being away from their families.

I always forget this feeling of openness that traveling affords. The willingness to meet new friends, and share very rich moments with relative strangers. I don't know if it's the result of being a stranger in a strange land, or simply the result of packing up the books and focusing on the richness of life for a few days, but I feel like I'm laughing more easily, my brain feels somehow looser, and have way more swagger in my step.

<3